The mother of a Durham man who died of heart failure after he became trapped in the laundry room of her downtown apartment building has sued the property owner and management firm.
Debra Davies seeks compensatory damages for the estate of Jason Pulliam, who was 39 at the time of his death. Davies also asked the court to award her damages for the “infliction of emotional distress” caused by her son’s death. According to the lawsuit, Davies suffered “severe emotional distress, mental anguish, grief, anxiety, loss of sleep, emotional suffering, and other psychological injuries” due to defendants’ alleged “negligence.”
The lawsuit, filed in Durham County Superior Court, claims an electronic door malfunctioned and would not open from inside the laundry room, preventing Pulliam from quickly receiving the care that might have saved his life.
“Had Jason or the other occupants of the laundry room been able to freely exit the room, or otherwise summon assistance, emergency personnel could have been alerted sooner and provided lifesaving care earlier,” the lawsuit asserts…